WHEREAS, Nashville and Magdeburg, Germany have maintained an extraordinarily active, creative, and mutually enriching sister-city partnership since 2003; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Rüdiger Koch, Magdeburg's Deputy Mayor for Youth, Culture, and Sports since 1995 and Vice-Mayor since 2008, has contributed enormously to the development of this partnership; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Koch has visited Nashville many times and has been a vital source of creativity and energy behind the success of the following projects among others:

Annual high-school student exchanges;

Visits to Magdeburg by students from Tennessee State University;

Regular visits to Nashville by the Magdeburg puppet theater;

The 2004 Magdeburg Kulturwoche (“Cultural Week”) in Nashville;

The 2006 international theater project “Das Treffen/The Other Side”;

The 2009 photo exhibition and other programs observing the twentieth anniversary of Magdeburg's contribution to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989;

The organization of a benefit concert in Magdeburg to support Nashville's flood recovery in 2010; and

WHEREAS, in 2013, Magdeburg was awarded the prize for the best city marketing campaign and trademark: “Otto-Stadt,” which refers to the fact that Magdeburg was the home of both Otto the Great and the German scientist and inventor, Otto von Guericke; and

WHEREAS, in 2014, the Steuben-Schurz Society, the oldest German-American friendship society in Germany, awarded a prize to Magdeburg and Nashville for the most active partnership between a German city and an American city; and

WHEREAS, a large measure of the credit for this prize and the other achievements listed above is owed to Dr. Koch; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Koch will be retiring from office this year; and

WHERAS, Dr. Koch's official leadership, notwithstanding our deep and ongoing friendship, will be sorely missed; and

WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the Metropolitan Council honor Dr. Rüdiger Koch for his outstanding contribution to the Nashville-Magdeburg sister-city partnership, cultural exchange, student exchange, and international relations generally and extend our deep gratitude and best wishes for all his future endeavors.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:

Section 1. The Metropolitan Council hereby goes on record as recognizing and welcoming Vice-Mayor Dr. Rüdiger Koch from sister-city Magdeburg, Germany.

Section 2. The Metropolitan Council Office is directed to prepare a copy of this Resolution to be presented to Dr. Rüdiger Koch, Magdeburg’s Vice-Mayor.

Section 3. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.